


the place i've been looking for (it's you)

by irisdecent cloud (jeadore)



Category: Wanna One (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Blind Character, M/M, and a bit of fantasy i guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-07
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-07-27 11:34:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16218173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jeadore/pseuds/irisdecent%20cloud
Summary: It’s not coincidental that Daniel offers his help whenever Sungwoon is about to cross the street.“Hey, peaches,” he greets him.





	the place i've been looking for (it's you)

**Author's Note:**

> this is what happens after i start goblin and i bingewatch all the magnificent stages of [VIXX - DoWonKyung/Shangri-La](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYEaI5y7QaM) again. (Am I promoting my other faves? I am.) 
> 
> title taken from Dowonkyung! also, how to tag this story? modern au? dwk au?

On one of the last days of a hot sticky summer, Daniel approaches him when he’s about to cross the street. “Need help?”

Apgujeong-ro is crammed even if it’s not peak hour yet, cars passing by at the maximum speed allowed and people gathering in every sidewalk. The city is loud, glittering and vibrating as any other day, any other Saturday. So big and chaotic for a guy so small, yet he stands at the crossing with composure. The beeping sound starts booming through the speakers, meaning that the guy has already pressed the button and he was just waiting with his white cane close to his chest.

Daniel insists, afraid of coming off as rude.

The other guy tilts his head. “Not really, but sure. Thanks,” he accepts as he rises his hand. Daniel quickly places it in top of his shoulder. He notices the way Sungwoon raises an eyebrow, but does not comment. He also realizes how small the man is next to him—or maybe Daniel is just too big. It’s a bit cute the way Sungwoon’s hand is almost at his own eye level, the top of his head at the perfect height for Daniel to place a soft kiss. _No_ , he won’t think about that. “It’s better for me this way,” Sungwoon says before sliding his hand down, caressing along the way Daniel’s shoulder until he grips his hold around Daniel’s arm. He’s a bit puzzled and embarrassed, yet he doesn’t get to apologize for his ignorance further than with an _oh, right_ \-- “Nice perfume. Sweet, likes peaches,” Sungwoon comments instead, sniffling the air.

Daniel can’t help but laugh. A fast car pass by them, the roar of its engine drowning out the sound of his laughter. “Are you going somewhere? Let me take you there.”

“It’s okay. I’m going to a friend’s studio in Sinsa-dong. I know the path.”

“Still, this hour is crazy, too much people and traffic.”

“It’s really okay,” Sungwoon repeats. His cane hits the curb with an almost silent _thump_ , the sound meaning a warning for Sungwoon. For a moment, Daniel ponders if he should have told him about the curb. “Besides you might be busy. With work. Or study?”

“Nope, not really,” Daniel grins. The grip in his arms loosens until it’s gone, both of Sungwoon’s hands clutching the cane, and he feels the sudden urge of explaining himself, of feeling the other’s guy touch again. “I just deliver… stuff. And I’m done for now. So, your friend’s studio. Is it far?”

A streak of hesitation appears in the other guy’s features, his full pouty lips opening and closing. A few blinks and a deep breath later, Sungwoon slightly pushes Daniel’s arm forward. “Two more blocks.”

There’s no way in Earth that Daniel could hold back his triumphant smile. Walking farther from Agpujeong-ro, into the inner streets of Sinsa-dong it gets a bit easier as the crowd dissipates and the traffic slows down. They fall into a steady pace of short steps and small talk. It amazes Daniel the way Sungwoon navigates himself with easiness, moving the cane as if it were natural. It also frightens him the way he navigates himself with easiness across the city, in streets were there’s no actual sidewalk and people is always, always in a rush.

Is not two blocks. It’s one block straight, then they turn to their left and there, less than 50 meters away, is a dark purple door—the entrance to the studio according to Sungwoon. He explains that his friend is an amazing person with a tacky swaggy taste that went through a purple phase. Everything was purple and his other friends used to complain a lot about the even lilac neon lights—and Sungwoon felt relieved for not having to deal with that. Everything is easier when he buys either black or white, with a few hints of colours from time to time.

Daniel bites his lips and holds back his comment on Sungwoon’s bright yellow shirt. Instead, he offers himself to ring the bell and when Sungwoon agrees with _yeah, sure_ it’s when it hits him.

It’s time to bid goodbye.

“Woonie! Why didn’t you call me? I could have picked you up,” a man says right after he opens the purple door. Tall, droopy sleepy eyes and deep voice.

Sungwoon snorts immediately. “Like you ever leave this place, Wonsik-ah.” His friend looks abashed, rubbing the back of his head as he lets a small embarrassed chuckle slips out his lips.  “Also, that man over there helped me,” Sungwoon adds as he gestures vaguely over the direction where Daniel stands.

“Who?” Wonsik asks. “I don’t see anyone?”

Sungwoon frowns. “I swear I still smell… never mind. So what are you working on lately?”

Wonsik groans before closing the door.

 

 

*

 

 

“Are you going to your friend’s studio again?” Daniel asks in lieu of a greeting.

It’s the same crosswalk of the last time, after the frenzy hours of lunchtime when there’s only the last office workers in the streets rushing back to work. A cool breeze allusive of the incoming autumn tousles the black floppy hair and the Sungwoon’s back muscles tremble as if a shiver is running down his spine.

“Peaches. Didn’t think I’ll see you again this soon,” he mumbles. There’s an _or at all_ hidden underneath his words. “Well, not _see_ you actually,” he adds as an off comment and Daniel wrinkles his nose. He gets they say it as joke usually, but he has never found the punch line funny. Maybe it’s out of acceptance, maybe is sarcasm, but it’s the first time he hears it and it makes him uncomfortable.

The traffic light is still green and an old lady is staring at Sungwoon, who remains unfazed. Perhaps Daniel should have laughed, or maybe he should press the disability button alarm again. “Are we going to the studio again?” he insists instead.

The other guy raises an eyebrow. “Yes, I am. My friend kind of need help?”

“Oh, something I can help with?”

“I don’t know,” Sungwoon replies, his full lips already stretching in an amused grin. “What is the highest note you can reach? His guide tracks are crazy.”

“I’m lucky if I reach Do,” Daniel confesses with a chuckle. He gets a few steps closer to Sungwoon and nudges him with his arm in a silent offer when the traffic light turns yellow. “So your friend does music?”

A moment later they are crossing the street in a slow pace, Sungwoon’s soft bony fingers circled around his bicep. “Yeah, yeah. He’s in an idol group known for their concepts. They’ve been taking the artsy route in the last years, but now they are struggling to come up with a shiny new concept.”

Daniel is genuinely surprised. Deep down, he is aware he shouldn’t be—the politeness and friendliness in Sungwoon’s voice and gestures, the sweet sugary tone of his voice even when he’s speaking, everything indicates it wouldn’t be weird for Sungwoon to have friends and connections in the music industry. But still.

“Whoa. And have you got any idea I can expect to be hearing everywhere around in a few months?”

Sungwoon scrunches his nose. “I wish, but I’m more on the singing side. Last time all I could come up with were peaches. _Peaches_. Seriously, your fragrance is too strong.”

Daniel’s laugh is bubbly and he almost bends down if it not were by the grip in his arm. From the corner of his eye, the pouty full lips catch his attention especially after he makes a show of sniffling himself. _Cute_. “Maybe they could use that?”

“What? Smell? Peaches?” Sungwoon asks, a bit in disbelief and a bit sarcastic, like if he’s starting to nurse the thought of Daniel being dumb. “We’ll see,” he says pensive; it’s not a joke this time though—more like if Sungwoon is getting a bit lost in his thoughts and in counting steps. They are near Wonsik’s studio purple door, so the quick meeting is coming to an end. Maybe Daniel should walk slower next time, take his time to appreciate the surroundings, the actual smell of Sungwoon’s perfume, the slope of his nose, the way his eyes are always cloudy. “Uh, thanks… your name, _peaches_. I’m stalling because I want to know your name,” the small guy nags him as he drops his hand. Daniel giggles, even if he’s feeling the loss of the touch.  “I’m Ha Sungwoon, by the way.”

 _I know_. Nevertheless, he accepts the handshake. Sungwoon’s hand is even smaller against his palm than it feels on top of his shoulder or around his arm.

“It’s Daniel. Kang Daniel.”

Sungwoon blinks a few times. “Kang Daniel… Are you from abroad?”

“Something like that.”

 

 

*

 

 

Three in the afternoon, three days later and “What, are you stalking me?” is the first thing Sungwoon scoffs to him even before he could greet him.

The streets are dressed in brownish golden and terracotta colours, crunchy leaves pooling around the few trees in Agpujeong-ro. As always, Sungwoon stands out the most to him. Not only by his attitude or his small figure, but also by the big red scarf engulfing his shoulders. He looks _cute_. Not only that; quite handsome too. Today he’s wearing big square sunglasses, out of place in this season, but so, so fitting in his oval face. Maybe Daniel won’t be able to see his cloudy eyes today—a pity, honestly—, yet his reddish full lips are somehow highlighted and—

—and Daniel is staring.

Maybe he is a bit of a creep.

It’s not coincidental that Daniel offers his help whenever Sungwoon is about to cross the street, after all.

“Nah, I work around here. In this area mostly,” Daniel assures him, a bit nonchalantly.

The other guy tilts his head, a fine eyebrow raised. “Delivering stuff in the area?” he questions as he holds his cane cautiously. “Don’t you sell drugs, do you?”

How on earth…?

“What? No!” Daniel exclaims, torn between desperation and incredulity.

“Just checking. Don’t wanna be the poor blind guy involved in your mob business,” Sungwoon sniggers and hits Daniel’s leg with his cane.

“ _Ouch”,_ Daniel recoils and caresses his leg with a pout. For a plastic stick, it hurts like hell. “Even if there were some mafia things going on, I doubt you would be that poor blind guy. Bet you’ll be the one kicking asses à la Daredevil.”

For the first time, Sungwoon turns to face him, a pensive pout in his face. With those shades on, he somehow pulls off the cute menacing look. “I do know some taekwondo,” Sungwoon admits, “but don’t expect that kind of marvel stuff from me. I’ll still run and let you to deal with the police alone.”

Daniel breaks into a laughing fit. “You don’t have to. I don’t have drugs on me,” promises.

“Right, you just have a lot of perfume,” Sungwoon says, suspicious. Daniel is about to deny it, to tell him he is not wearing any when he continues. ”And a long coat. Even when we were in the middle of September. Shady.”

“How…?”

“I can feel it, you know,” Sungwoon interrupts him. Tone taut and brisk, his words are something between an irritated nag and a snarky comment. “The roughness of the fabric under my fingers, the bottom hem of your coat hitting my leg as we walk. I can feel it.” _Oh_. Right. Perhaps it was a bit ignorant from him, being this oblivious of the way Sungwoon perceives the world. It wasn’t on purpose, still he should apologize. Especially after the deep sigh that escapes through the full lips. “I’m not mad,” Sungwoon reassures him. “I’m just…”

 _Tired of it. Exhausted. Used to it_ , Daniel completes in his mind. Judging by his dispirited demeanour—so, so different to the one Daniel has become fond of—he is not wrong.

Another sigh. The traffic light changes again from amber to green, its weak light just a blurred secondary thought in Daniel’s mind. They might be at the crosswalk, but there’s Sungwoon—small, strong, slowly opening himself. There’s Sungwoon, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, sliding his cane from one hand to the other, back and forth.

There’s Sungwoon. Breathing, erratically. Breathing and licking his inner lip and breathing.

“Actually,” he starts again and Daniel not only notices the jittery tone, but his own jittery guts. Any other day Daniel may have tried to distract him or to cheer him up, but right now he feels rooted to the ground. Waiting, expectant. “I’d like to… feel you? That sounds a tad wrong, but--” And Sungwoon raises his hand hesitantly. “May I?”

The air is knocked out of Daniel’s lungs. This isn’t what he expected at first. He just wanted to help, he wanted Sungwoon to have a leisurely content life, he wanted to feel he did something good. Now—. Now he’s almost static, heart beating fast and unsteady as he slowly reaches for the other’s wrist. Stunned.

And he’s not the only one, given the way the pulse underneath his palm spikes up. Still, Sungwoon doesn’t give it away, expression placid and a bit intriguing. Tender touches linger above all over his features and air becomes a luxury for Daniel.

“You’re handsome,” Sungwoon stats, a smirk pulling up the corners of his mouth. “And you have a beautiful smile.”

Daniel blinks, puzzled. “How do you…?” he starts, unconsciously breaking in a smile.

The other guy’s face turns smug. “Because you always sound so giggly and now I can feel it. Your cheekbones appear high and your skin crinkles a lot around your eyes, and your lips…” Sungwoon pulls back his hand immediately and strengthens the hold on his cane. “I’m late to Wonsik’s.”

 

 

*

 

 

Before he can even say something, Sungwoon turns his head in his direction and says “Hey, peaches.”

It’s been a long two weeks since the last time he saw him, a long two weeks of dulling work that Daniel can’t help but brighten immensely. He doesn’t even bother in reminding him of his name.

“Sungwoon-ssi! You are on your way to the studio, right?” he asks even if he already knows it. Daniel takes the other’s hand and places it above his arm without thinking it twice, barely getting a reaction out of Sungwoon.

In fact, Daniel has to actually restrain himself from his excessive enthusiasm as Sungwoon scoffs about his obnoxiously long legs and long steps.

“ _Nope_. Just wandering around,” Sungwoon answers gleefully. “I wanted… I just wanted to, you know, feel the city, the smoggy air, the symphony of horns, the incipient head pain,” he rattles on, counting with his fingers even. Then Daniel realizes—Sungwoon doesn’t have his white cane. He peeks back to Sungwoon’s back and there it is. Folded inside his back pocket. “And I wanted to find you.”

Sungwoon has folded his cane.

Sungwoon has just… entrusted himself to Daniel.

“Why?” he whispers.

They reach the other side of the street and Sungwoon avoids the topic just as he avoids the curb before Daniel can warn him. Maybe he was counting steps in his mind too.

“My friend’s group finally have a concept to work with now. Kind of thanks to you. They said they’ll save _smell_ for a following comeback—no idea of how they would pull that off, honestly. Wonsik rambled about the perfect concert experience for me because they could present their music and use scents and turn it 4D and I don’t remember what more shit,” Sungwoon talks non-stop, voice loud and warm. There’s fondness too, masked under the fake annoyance and wittiness. “Like if I don’t end up almost deaf too during concerts. But it was nice from him.”

“So what did they decide on?” Daniel asks before missing the point, barely containing his laughter.

For the first time since they first talked, Sungwoon turns his face away from him. Daniel has to crane his neck to get a glimpse of his cloudy eyes, but what he finds out instead is rosy cheeks.

Rosy cheeks like cherry blossom petals. The prettiest.

“ _Peaches,”_ he announces, almost like a confidence. “Hongbin was there too when I was talking about your strong scent and he somehow remembered this old ancient fable? About a utopic place, extremely beautiful and peaceful, where the most stunning flowers blossom and the tastiest peaches grow. You know it? It’s hidden at the end of a river that goes through a peach tree forest, and that’s why is called _Taohua…_ ,” he stops talking and wrinkles his nose. Chinese seems to not be his fort. Not even the tones were right, but the way he tries over and over is endearing.

Daniel smiles and comes out to help him. “Yeah, I know that story! The paradisiac place where people is happy, but once you leave you can’t return to it, right?”

 _Peach blossom spring._ An ethereal and eternal spring, detached from the rest of the world and from any type of blues, pure. The paths are covered in white petals, the skies clear and the bliss drips like golden tears.

“There’s only one thing wrong with _Táo Huã Yuán_ ,” he adds, a real confidence in a whisper only for Sungwoon to hear. “There’s no longer peaches.”

Sungwoon seems taken aback. “No peaches? Doesn’t sound too paradisiac for me then.”

 

 

 

 

 

Daniel feels like he’s going to explode. He wishes to taste every second.

 

 

 

Time freezes.

 

 

 

“Daniel.”

Suddenly he’s there but he’s not there at the same time. He’s floating, foot well set on the ground. Smog and sweetness pollute the air and Daniel knows well what it means. “Hey, Jisung hyung.”

Jisung is by his side, wearing a black suit and a stern expression. “You know what you’re doing is wrong,” he nags him as he did many, many times before. Times were Daniel thought he thought he could be as careless as he wanted. “Ha Sungwoon should have died in September 15th in Agpujeong-ro, at 6 p.m.”

“I know, I know,” he admits as he scratches the back of his head. “But he was just crossing the street? And couldn’t let him… couldn’t take him away.”

“It’s not up to us, Daniel.”  

“He was just crossing the damned street, hyung,” he repeats, anger bubbling in his throat.

It wasn’t fair. Sometimes Life and Destiny were the real blind ones, designing different kinds of obstacles and tragedies for the people despite of how good and nice they are. It wasn’t fair at all. Sungwoon didn’t deserve it.

Jisung sighs. “There will be corrective—“

“Yeah, yeah,” Daniel groans. He wants to kick something, anything, Destiny maybe. “I’ll be punished. Again. For trying to let people have happiness and joy in their lives. As if being kicked out of the supposed paradise and forced to do a job I hate weren’t punishment enough.”

“He’ll be happy in the afterlife too,” Jisung says, voice softer than before. His eyes shine with all the force the wisdom he embodies, mixed with worry and— and pity. He wants to laugh, yet it’ll be sardonic and ugly because even Wisdom knows it isn’t _right_. “In Táo Hua Yuan…”

“There’s no _me_.”

There’s majestic landscapes with abundant greenery, delicate blossoms and clear skies. There’s a river with transparent water and golden fishes and there’s a forest with wild peaceful animals. There’s beautiful and sweet and there will be Sungwoon.

But no Daniel.

“The rules are clear and they say—“

“Can’t you bend them, hyung? Please?” he begs, almost desperately. “I want this man to be happy, I want him to experiment everything that is at his reach. I want him to go to concerts that could leave him deaf, I want him to run without worries and maybe do some flying kick, I want him to laugh and sneer and complain because the scents are too strong, I want him to feel wanted. I want to make him feel like he’s living in an earthly paradise. He deserves that. And I think….”

“How do you know if he isn’t already happy? Are you trying to be selfless or selfish here?”

Is an honest question. An honest, wise question. And if Daniel has to be honest, he doesn’t know. He’s not the most sagacious man, he’s never understood where the blurry thin line between those two is drawn.

But he does understand other things, like the way Sungwoon smiles when he catches Daniel off guard, or the way he enjoys music and talking and being loud because that way people don’t focus on meaningless things like his blindness, or how he knows himself—the extent of his capacities and inabilities. Like when he said it wouldn’t be a real paradise without peaches.

“I just know?” Daniel bites his lip. Fear blossoms in his being at the mere thought of not seeing, _feeling_ Sungwoon again, alongside to a warmer sensation. “I think he could become mine. My own paradise,” he confesses, small and embarrassed and so, so full of hope. “So hyung, can you?”

Jisung stares at him for a while. Then shakes his head, a tiny smile dancing in his lips.

 

 

 

Time unfreezes.

 

Smog and car horns and cold autumn wind saturate his senses.

 

 

 

“Want to tell me how much you love peaches over coffee?”

Sungwoon snorts. “Don’t get your hopes up high.” And yet he slides his small hand down his arm until he reaches his palm and interlaces their fingers.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I'm not really familiarized with a blind person, so if by any means I did a mistake, please educate me (here, through [twt](http://www.twitter.com/jeadore_a) or [cc](http://curiouscat.me/jeadore)) ♥


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